What must notaries include in their journal for each transaction?

Notaries are required to maintain a journal that documents specific details about each notarial act they perform. This record is crucial not only for accountability but also for legal compliance. Including the notarial act performed and the date is essential because it provides a clear traceable record of what was done during the notarization process and when it occurred. This information can be vital for future reference, particularly if there are questions or disputes about the notarization.

The notarial act performed captures the nature of the service, whether it involved an acknowledgment, jurat, or another type of notarization. Recording the date adds a chronological element that helps establish a timeline for the transaction. Together, these details contribute significantly to the notary’s record-keeping responsibilities and help uphold the integrity of the notarization process.

Conversely, the other options provide information that is not mandatory within the journal. For instance, while knowing a client's financial status and the purpose of notarization could be relevant in some contexts, they are not requirements for the journal entry itself. Simply recording the client's name and ID number lacks sufficient detail and does not fulfill the comprehensive record-keeping obligations set forth for notaries.